Inequitable health outcomes COVID-19 for Indigenous peoples is the measure of racism p. 9 & health policy briefing No more Mr. Nice Guy: Trudeau’s got to take tougher pp. 23-33 leadership on seniors’ care p.14 Rose LeMay p.9 Michael Harris p.12 THIRTY-SECOND YEAR, NO. 1799 CANADA’S POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT NEWSPAPER MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 $5.00 News News Hate and paranoia abound in political social Pandemic response media, as federal Liberals prepare to intervene slips from BY PETER MAZEREEUW dian political Facebook pages, as The Liberal Party of Canada politicians to Nazis, or Liberals to the Liberal government prepares Facebook page is no exception. pedophiles. ‘slam dunk’ xpressions of hate and para- legislation to crack down on It doesn’t take long to find com- “Reject the right-wing for Enoia, and conspiracy theories social media platforms that don’t ments to posts on the page that they are neo-Nazis. Never vote to ‘potential with roots in the United States remove hate speech quickly espouse conspiracy theories, attack have become a staple of Cana- enough. immigrants, compare Conservative Continued on page 36 liability’ for News Liberals, say some political ‘Canadians have grown impatient’: insiders BY ABBAS RANA regulation of social media in the he government’s handling of TCOVID-19 was until recently seen as a critical factor in drum- ming up voter support that could works, but Parliamentarians wary have put the Liberals into a position to convert their minor- ity government into a majority in the next election, but it could now become a “liability” as Canadians are growing increasingly impa- tient about interruptions in the vaccine rollout, say some political insiders. “The pandemic, which was once a slam-dunk political win for incumbent governments, is now becoming a potential li- ability with the vaccine, because Canadians are becoming increas- ingly impatient,” said Nik Nanos, founder and chief data scientist for Nanos Research, in an inter- view with The Hill Times. “The pandemic is shifting from a platform for governments to look good to a platform for Publications Mail Agreement #40068926 governments to be politically vul- nerable, and the vaccinations are symbolic of that risk,” he said. Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault, left, Minister of Infrastructure Catherine McKenna, Green Party MP Paul Manly, NDP MP Charlie Angus, and Arif Virani, parliamentary Canadians started to receive secretary to the justice minister all have opinions about further regulating hate and harmful speech online. The Hill Times photographs by Andrew Meade, courtesy of Twitter COVID-19 vaccinations in mid- December. This is the country’s largest mass inoculation program BY MIKE LAPOINTE online, MPs and experts are still of social media in Canada’s politi- Minister David Lametti (LaSalle- in history. The Public Health unclear as to what the legislation cal discourse. Émard-Verdun, Que.) told The Agency of Canada has said that s the federal government is going to look like, but all say Liberal MP Arif Virani Hill Times that “Canadians have all Canadians who want to be Alooks to set down rules there’s work to be done to temper (Parkdale-High Park, Ont.), the around hate and harmful speech some of the unsavoury elements parliamentary secretary to Justice Continued on page 22 Continued on page 35 2 MONDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 2021 | THE HILL TIMES Conservative moron (or a swooning school girl or a com- Leader Erin munist) for reporting what he says.” O’Toole, Ms. Delacourt added she takes such pictured comments in stride. “It is interesting/disturb- on Feb. 4, ing to observe who gets so whipped up to Heard on the Hill now has a write these letters to strangers. I don’t get former NDP such letters from women or young people or candidate folks with non-[White Anglo-Saxon Protes- by Palak Mangat who is part tant] names (perhaps because they’ve been of his party. told they won’t be taken seriously if they get The Hill Times emotional about politics?),” she added. photograph by Andrew Meade Longtime Hill ‘Looking out for reporter and columnist Susan Delacourt, each other’: Bruce The news comes as Conservative Lead- pictured in er Erin O’Toole looks to frame his party as 2017, says one that sits “squarely in the centre” of the the reaction political spectrum. when she writes Anderson enlists local As reported here last week, the Con- about the prime servative Party green-lit a former Liberal minister is health minister from Prince Edward Island ‘inevitable and who had served under two Liberal pre- kind of sad.’ Ottawa restaurants to miers, to run under the party’s banner in The Hill Times the next election. photograph by At the time of his 2019 defeat, Mr. Patel Andrew Meade told local media he planned to run again. offer meals to shelters Archaeologists dig up remnants A longtime Hill reporter, columnist, and Longtime author, Ms. Delacourt said she ultimately public affairs of yesteryear’s Centre Block brushes off such letters: “If you’re looking commentator Last week marked 105 years since Cen- for me, I’ll be here at my computer, send- Bruce Anderson, tre Block, excluding the Library of Parlia- ing trash letters to the trash.” By the way, left, says his chats ment, burned down in February 1916. Prime Minister Trudeau, or so the people with Infrastructure According to a Senate webpage, more who work in the PMO claim, liked the Minister Catherine than a century later, archeologists with Facebook post. McKenna and Centrus last summer discovered artifacts of other community a bygone era during excavation work: the members helped limestone foundation of the Victoria Tower. Sloan part of group calling for inspire a new end of COVID-19 lockdowns volunteer initiative Some local, federal, and provincial to help out people conservative politicians are putting their in need during the names behind a cause calling for the end of pandemic. The Hill COVID-19 lockdowns. Times photographs Liberty Coalition Canada said last by Andrew Meade week that the “end the lockdowns caucus” and Jake Wright was formed to push “formal challenges” to existing COVID policies “with a specific emphasis on ending governments’ use of n an effort to band together and help A website will be launched soon to ac- province-wide lockdowns and stay-at- Ihard-hit shelters amid the pandemic, cept donations from the public, which will home orders.” Workers found old ventilation shafts and the longtime public affairs consultant, pollster, go through the Shepherds of Good Hope Those who make up the caucus are limestone foundation of the Victoria Tower, and Ottawa resident Bruce Anderson has webpage. People will be able to claim tax former Conservative MP Derek Sloan, who which date back to the 1916 fire, on the pulled together a volunteer initiative with credits for their contributions. now sits as an Independent after he was excavation site, pictured in December 2020, local restauranteurs. Other businesses helping are Whales- turfed from caucus last month; PPC Leader of Centre Block last summer. The Hill Times “There are people in the community bone, Wild Oat Bakery, Farinella, and Lu- and former Conservative MP Maxime Ber- who are frustrated with life in the pan- ciano Foods, who will help push out pizza photograph by Andrew Meade nier; former Progressive Conservative MPP demic, but otherwise are healthy and lunches, sandwich meals, and breakfast for Ontario, Randy Hillier, who is now an financially okay. I’m in that category,” he muffins to the shelters. Mr. Anderson said Found near the old tower’s foundation Independent; Perth East councillor Daryl told The Hill Times last week. “I’m some- he hopes to begin flowing out meals this by where the pillars propped it up, workers Herlick; and Centre Wellington councillor body who’s travelled a lot all my life, but week and into March, though an “end date” also came across ventilation shafts. Steven VanLeeuwen. I’ve been in the community non-stop for 12 has not yet been set, as it will depend on After burning down in the 1916 fire, The group, which is not a registered months now, and, like a lot of people, I’m community need and fundraising. By the engineers were forced to tear down Centre non-profit, runs social media campaigns more aware of the value of people in the by, The Hill Times is also supporting this Block a few months later. Four years later, and has in the past pushed for the reopen- community looking out for each other.” initiative. the Centre Block reopened after recon- ing of churches in Ontario. Mr. Anderson, head of Abacus Data struction, with new limestone interior walls It bills itself as a “national network of polling firm, has been helping raise money Ex-NDP hopeful now a to prevent any future fires. clergymen, elected officials, small business for food and labour so “generous-minded Derek Mes, a structural project manager owners, legal experts, and other concerned folks” from local restaurants can cook and Conservative member for the modern rehabilitation efforts, said all citizens.” A former federal NDP candidate in the deliver meals to shelters. The plan was the ruins will need to be cleaned up this time In a Feb. 4 release, it called into ques- 2019 election shared last week he has be- about five days in the making, after he because they stand in the way of reaching tion evidence that has led to lockdowns, come a member of the Conservative Party. learned Ottawa homeless shelters were go- the bedrock, which “will need to be accessed which it claimed has caused “more harm Jigar Patel, who won 28 per cent of the ing to stop accepting new people because to build the Visitor Welcome Centre.” than the virus and must be brought to an vote in Regina-Lewvan, Sask., for the NDP of outbreaks at their sites.